


Lupus Intoxicus

by Trychtopus



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Birthday Sex, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:34:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27596233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trychtopus/pseuds/Trychtopus
Summary: A saucy ending to episode 56. Poppy gives Tora an... unexpected birthday present.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 27
Kudos: 210





	Lupus Intoxicus

**Author's Note:**

> A saucy ending to episode 56. Poppy gives Tora an... unexpected birthday present.

  


“...what about under you?”

  


The words shot through him like electricity, inspiring a foreign burst of goosebumps to spread across the back of his neck. He watched from outside of his body as her hand froze above his, her mouth moving but the words missing him entirely as his thoughts tumbled over themselves in a frenzy. It had been a cheap shot, he knew, to tease her. His lewd advances toward her had almost always been simply to get a rise out of her ever since she’d deadpanned in response to his original offer. Even now, the memory of her flat grimace and scolding eyes as he’d asked her to sleep with him thrilled him in a way few ever had, the newness of denial, of risk, of unpredictability--a shiver rippled down his spine as their eyes locked, and there it was again.

  


_ The look. _

  


Bold, but flighty. Hesitant but committed. Nervous yet driven by an underlying need, a curiosity she’d never allowed herself to indulge before. It wasn’t an expression he saw often, certainly not directed at him, and it was rare enough that to see it was like a drug. She was still frightened of him, to be sure, but she  _ wanted  _ him, and not in the way he was used to seeing. Tora had grown used to (and weary of) the salacious stares and overt passes at him over the years, but  _ this  _ look was something that screamed at him on a terrifyingly intimate level. She was taking a risk and she knew it; it was written all over her face as she sat there peering up at him with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety, punishing her bottom lip with increased fervor the longer he watched the crimson blush bleed across her delicate features like droplets of paint in water.

  


Her risks were taken in pursuit of small allowances, little rewards that she slipped from his pocket like a petty thief that dealt only in smiles and laughter. He’d noticed it, of course, her habit of deliberately catching him off guard so that she could pilfer a grin from him, could steal a chuckle from his throat as expertly as he’d relieved tourists of their wallets all those years ago. It was intoxicating, her ability to face off against him. He’d grown so tired of the usual punks and brawlers that Balthuman fed him to keep him practiced, thugs that were scrounged up or collected over back door deals and failed heists to be fed to the beast that the king kept chained by links of threats and bureaucracy. This little slip of a thing, on the other hand… She’d probably never thrown a punch in her life, and yet here she was stunning him again and again, weaving around his defenses as naturally as someone raised in the ring.

  


The shock in his system began to dissipate, diluted by the rush of adrenaline that now forced his heartbeat into a rhythm that rivaled the distant thumping of the club’s persistent dance music. The aggressive electronic tones were muted deeply by the manufactured stone that surrounded them, glittering and cool, leaving only the rush of his own blood and her breathy, nervous giggles as their soundtrack. The alcohol that slinked along his thoughts was in full tilt now, and as he felt himself slowly slipping his hand from hers, he was distantly reminded of something Joe had taught him during one of the rare moments he wasn’t busy being a horrendous little shit:

  


_ “Listen, Tora--” _

  


_ “...The fuck is it now?” _

  


_ “Just shut the hell up and listen to me--” the hand that gripped the back of his neck felt no smaller than the Christmas ham that Alice insisted on presenting each year, and Tora found himself as surprised as ever that he couldn’t quite seem to wriggle out of it, no matter how pissed off he became. Joe was an absolute boulder of a man, and while Tora had speed, he was brilliantly irritated to discover that sometimes there simply was no getting out of a hold when it was supplied by someone built like a refrigerator. Forced to settle for a scowl, he folded his arms in what was very much not a pout, tempted to roll his eyes for good measure. “--swear to God this has got to be my punishment for all the shit I did as a kid--listen.”  _

  


_ Tora turned his head away as best he could with the man’s fingers still wrapped underneath his ears, trying in earnest to ignore the arthritic ache in his jaw bone that flared up every time Ham Hands decided to try laying down the law.  _

  


_ “I know you don’t wanna hear it cause I didn’t wanna listen to shit when I was your age either, but I want you to think about something.”  _

  


_ Ah, a lecture. They used to make him feel a lot of things when he was younger and more vulnerable, more receptive to wisdom imparted upon him from the very few people he respected. As he’d grown older, however, and the lectures had grown more repetitive alongside him, they were mostly white noise at this point. He learned fairly early on that there was no getting out of the clan, nor his duties to them, and that the lectures they fed him contrasted deeply with the actions they expected of him. Hypocritical bullshit, if you asked him, to drone on and on about respect and obedience and then sending him out in the world to do...well, what they needed him to do. Turns out, breaking the rules is only okay if it’s the ones your boss doesn’t like to follow.  _

  


_ Still, it was easier just to ride it out. Joe wouldn’t stop once he got on his soapbox, and complaining about it would only earn him a black eye and a longer talking-to. This was undoubtedly in response to his most recent attempt at shirking his duties at Alice’s restaurant, due in no small part to the furious ache in his ribs after Martin had broken two of them yet again during last night’s cage match. He didn’t want to admit it, even to himself, but even the minor actions of his meager bus work left him nauseated from the pain. Joe had caught him out back trying to smoke a cigarette without doubling over and assumed he’d simply been fucking off--which was fair, he mused, since he did that often enough as well--and dragged him over to the stairs for a Teaching Moment.  _

  


_ “Ya have two families now, whether you like it or not. Ya have your family here with me and Ma, and you got the clan.” His fingers relaxed by a small fraction and Tora nearly sighed in relief, knowing better than to try getting out of it again. “Think of it as two wolves inside of ya.”  _

  


_ “...wolves?” _

  


_ “Now, the proverb goes like this--” _

  


_ “Oh my god, just cut to the fucking chase--” _

  


_ “--ya got TWO WOLVES INSIDE OF YA--” _

  


_ Tora ground his teeth together and immediately regretted it, nearly cussing at the lightning bolt of agony that cracked along his jaw.  _

  


_ “--one is good, one is evil, all that bullshit. Saying goes that ya gotta feed the one ya want to succeed.” He allowed himself a tactical pause so that he would be ready for Tora’s typical attitude, but when he was met with silence, he continued, pleased. “You don’t have the fuckin’ luxury of being able to choose which one.” _

  


_ “...breaking news at six…” _

  


_ “...swear to God I’m gonna beat ya ass myself and Ma’s lectures be damned… Anyway, ya got your wolf, and ya got the one the clan needs you to have. You gotta feed both, Tora.” _

  


_ “Then what the fuck is the point?” He finally turned to glare at the man still holding him like a whelp, unable to suppress his temper any longer. “I don’t get to choose. I don’t get to say no. I don’t even get to piss when I want to take a fuckin’ piss, so what is the point of all this bullshit?” _

  


_ Joe sighed at him, a fountain of patience and frustration. He did his best, he really did, and every once in a blue moon the kid he had in his clutches gave him a fraction of a glimpse that he was doing something right, but boy did it really take everything in him to be the man he wished he’d had at Tora’s age. Empathy welled in him for a moment, knowing full well how trapped and angry Tora was--and justifiably so--and there really wasn’t anything anybody could do about it. Still, he grimaced, he could try, and he would keep trying, and he prayed that it would be enough. “Ya gotta feed both wolves so they’re both strong for when ya need ‘em, Tora.” _

  


_ Silence. Good. Silence was good.  _

  


_ “Ya have to work hard for the clan or they’ll kill ya. You know that better than fuckin’ anybody. But ya can’t ignore the other one.” He was treading lightly, careful not to get too preachy or the kid would shut him out. “Just because ya got roped into the mafia doesn’t mean ya can’t be a good man.”  _

  


_ Tora snorted dismissively, but said nothing. Joe paused for a moment, considering his words carefully, then continued. _

  


_ “The only thing setting you apart from those other thugs is how you live when no one is lookin’. You can either let yourself become a rotten two-faced bastard, or you can choose to live with some fuckin’ integrity.”  _

  


_ “...what’s integrity?” _

  


_ “It’s--um. Well,” Joe scratched at the back of his head for a moment, stalled by the unexpected loss of momentum just when he was getting into it, “it means doin’ the right thing even when you have the option not to. You can’t go against the clan, but you can choose to do right by the people in ya life that got nothin’ to do with it. Ya gotta feed that wolf, too, kid.” _

  


_ “Why?” _

  


_ The question was soft and sad, not at all like the typical petulance that emanated from the teenager that he’d taken under his wing. Even in the face of everything he knew about living the lifestyle Tora hadn’t picked for himself, the futility that warbled along with the single word damned near broke his heart.  _

  


_ “Think of it as another tool in your kit, kiddo.” He finally released his hold on the back of Tora’s neck, confident that he’d captured his attention enough to at least finish out his conversation with him. “Life dealt you a shit deck, but ya don’t gotta let it turn you into a shit person. Doesn’t always feel like it, but ya do have people in your corner.” _

  


_ “Like you and Alice?” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Yep. Me and Ma, and Fred and Fran, and ya little punk friends. Do right by them and they’ll stay loyal to ya until the end, and not because of some clan oath bullshit. Karma’s a powerful mistress, so make sure ya take care of yours when ya can.” _

  


_ Without waiting for a response, Joe stood and dusted his hands on the filthy apron that covered his enormous body. He’d learned early on that trying to engage Tora after a full blown lecture was utterly useless, but when left to his own devices, Tora did often take things to heart when he’d had a chance to digest them. He was running out of time, he knew, to do what he could. They were all running out of time. _

  


Tora shifted his fingers so that he could lace them with Poppy’s, privately delighted by how easily they fit between his. There were two wolves inside of him, alright. One was practically waving a billboard at him right now, screaming that he needed to brush this off as a joke and treat her like a gentleman, that she was something precious and rare and needed to be kept that way…

  


...the other had just polished off a double tequila sunrise on the rocks and was staring down a lamb dinner that offered to plate itself. 

  


“Bold words for a little hamster,” he murmured, unable to keep the smirk from twisting his lips as he said it. “Didn’t know they made a habit of dragging their prey to the back of a cave…”

  


As expected, her eyes glittered with mock-offense, even as he finally pulled his hand away from hers so that he could swing her legs up and across his lap. Always a surprise, this one. He briefly considered pulling her up into his lap entirely, but even in the haze of intoxication and arousal, he knew he needed to do this at her pace if it was going to happen at all. Too fast and he’d scare her off, especially considering their surroundings. Content to slide his fingertips along her bare thigh for now, he watched her futile attempt to suppress the shiver it produced. 

  


“I--I don’t know what you’re talking about,” her words were choppy with nervous giggles that increased in both frequency and volume the higher his fingers began to travel, “I simply thought you’d like to see the fish and to--ah!--get away from the crowd for a little while.” 

  


“Likely excuse.” He drew a gentle line along her leg with a single fingertip until he arrived at the buckle of her shoe, testing the waters by beginning to fiddle with it. He desperately wanted to indulge her offer, to throw her down against the stone and make her scream until the echoes filled the caverns, but Tora was no creep--he was going to give her  _ plenty  _ of opportunity to tell him no, even if it would quietly destroy him. As he slipped the thin strap of leather from its tiny metal prison, he snorted silently to himself. 

  


If blue balls was what finally got him in the end, after everything he’d been through…

  


“You sure ya didn’t have this whole thing planned out?” He popped the buckle apart with one hand, his other steadily supporting her lower back. As he slid the shoe from her foot, he noted that her ankle had been rubbed completely raw by the mechanism, now presenting an angry burst blister that nearly made him wince. No wonder she’d been so keen to sit down with him. As he reached behind him to his empty glass and fished an ice cube from it, he leaned in toward her, letting his lips brush against her jaw as he continued to speak in a low, husky growl. “Lure me back here all by myself, right into a trap…”

  


“Oh, because you’re  _ so  _ helpless.” Despite the sarcasm, she lifted her chin a fraction of an inch to allow him easier access, thrilling him in a way he’d never expected from her. “Besides, it’s catch a tiger by his  _ toe _ , not his--” her breath left her in a hiss as he pressed the ice cube to her blistered ankle.

  


“Careful, sweetheart,” he grinned against her neck, “can’t have that filthy mouth of yours ruining the mood.” He let his hand trail along the back of her calf, dragging the rapidly melting ice cube with it. Her body responded deliciously with a violent tremble, tantalizing him as he felt her back muscles flex against the palm of his hand. He was being bolder than he’d intended to, but she hadn’t pushed him away yet, either, which fueled the fire burning in his belly with much more confidence than he needed. All the nights he’d spent jerking it in the shower to thoughts of what he’d love to do to the body currently squirming in his arms came slamming to the forefront of his mind and his body ached for her, restrained nearly to the point of pain by the pants he’d chosen for the evening. 

  


Pain, however, was something with which he was intimately acquainted. 

  


The sound that escaped Poppy’s throat as he wrapped his hand around her thigh was not.

  


Whatever intentions he’d had to pull away from her then, to continue to tease and flirt and taunt her beautiful laughter out of her vanished completely as she surprised him by turning her head and catching his lips with hers. He could feel her grab a fistful of his shirt as she pulled him impossibly closer, her tongue sliding along his own and still tasting of the drink she’d been sipping as they’d walked together. Whether this had been a long-brewing storm or was simply the alcohol allowing her to take some liberties with him, he wasn’t quite sure, but damned if he wasn’t going to indulge her. After all, this was  _ her  _ celebration as well, and if she had decided that he, himself, was a more fitting gift, who was he to deny her? 

  


The wolf inside of him that had done its very best to stop him was letting out a dejected sigh as the other bared its teeth in anticipation.

  


For a moment, she pulled away from him and pressed her forehead to his, her hand still fisted tightly in his shirt. Her eyes glittered with lust and nerves as she gazed at him, trapping him in a daze. “Is...this alright?”

  


“‘S your birthday, sweetheart,” he reached up and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, impressed by the heat of her skin against the backs of his fingers as he let them linger along her temple. “Weird choice of a present, but shit, if this is what ya want…”

  


For a split second, her eyes dropped, the shadow of something sinister lurking behind the lust that had just sparkled there moments before. Were he unaccustomed to constantly reading people he likely would have missed it, but Tora had a lifetime of practice looking for the smallest of cues, and when his target was as precious as the girl fidgeting in his lap, it would be impossible for him to ignore it. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t deeply curious about whomever had damaged her so thoroughly, and moreso if he tried to say that he wouldn’t prefer to meet the answer with the business end of a nail bat, but for now, he simply tilted her chin with his fingertips and tried his best to offer a comforting smile.

  


“Take all ya want, Bobby.” She worried her bottom lip between her teeth as he guided her hand down the front of his torso. “Or don’t take anything at all.” The feeling of fighting to say what he was feeling was becoming a frighteningly common occurrence as of late, and he found himself irritated that she always made it look so  _ easy _ . An aching pang of anxiety rippled up through his body and sat heavy in his throat as he traced the outline of her arm, unable to meet her eyes as he continued. “I’m still--” he swallowed a moment, refusing to choke on his words, “I’m still gonna fuckin’ be here either way.”

  


_ Nice and romantic, Tora, you clumsy asshole. Would it actually kill you to say something fuckin’ normal for once? _

  


To his surprise, his words were met with a giggle instead of a sigh, prompting him to look up at Poppy’s affectionate grin. He raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

  


“I guess it’s good to see you roll your eyes at yourself, too,” she lifted her hand and mimicked his actions from earlier, brushing his bangs away from his forehead in an impossibly gentle sweep. “Almost thought it was special just for me.” 

  


“I’ll show ya what’s special, sweetheart,” he growled, relieved that she had yet again accepted him despite his recurring gift of every reason ever not to, and shifted her in his arms with a large sweep until she was straddling his lap. Her squeal of surprise was quickly stifled by his mouth over hers, a kiss that started out clumsy and wet and quickly evolved into something much stronger as their hands found purchase on each others’ bodies. Distantly, even as she raked her fingernails through his hair and sent electricity through his loins, he tugged the back of her dress down and cupped her curves there with both hands, dragging her forward until she was seated neatly atop the arousal that was returning with a vengeance. 

  


Their motions were frantic now, no hint of the earlier caution left as Tora reached down to unbutton his pants while his tongue swept the inside of Poppy’s mouth. Moments later, he nearly groaned in relief as he reached down and adjusted himself so that his erection sat straight and proud against his abdomen, confined only by the button fly that still defiantly hugged the base tight to his body. When they paused for a moment to catch their breath, he moved instead to Poppy’s throat, lapping at the salty shimmer of sweat that now coated her and swimming in the scent of her perfume. Despite himself, he jumped, startled as her cool fingertips traced the outline of his manhood, eliciting a quiet groan from them both.

  


“You’re not wearing any underwear, Tora!” 

  


“Chafes.” 

  


“Is--we’re gonna get caught if we--”

  


“Don’t care.” He reached between them and curled a hand around hers, stroking himself languidly by guiding her palm against his flesh. His head fit perfectly in the groove of her shoulder as he shut his eyes against the gentle pleasure, caught somewhere in between disbelief that it was happening at all and a deep yearning for more. Testing the waters, he removed his hand and instead wrapped his arms around her protectively, rocking his hips into her hesitant rhythm and rewarding her efforts with a sigh. It had been a long time since he’d bothered to lay with anybody, and certainly not since Poppy had captured his attention so effectively. Even with the alcohol in his system he knew he wouldn’t last long in her hands and the thought of it brought him pause.

  


She wasn’t experienced, that much he knew. Whether she was a virgin or not he’d been unable to discern, but even so, the concept of having  _ their  _ first time being something so inherently selfish as a handjob in the back hallway of a nightclub disgusted him. He wasn’t sure that she’d allow him to go all the way with her, particularly in a semi-public location, but as he began to formulate a plan in his head, she brushed her thumb along the head of his erection, spreading the jewel of arousal that had swelled there under her touch, and it wiped his self-control more expertly than any drink he’d ever had in his life.

  


“Sweetheart--” his voice was gravel in his throat, harsh from the sheer need that overwhelmed him, “--if I don’t stop ya now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to.” 

  


“Who said anything about stopping?” 

  


He pulled back from her to stare at her in mild disbelief, wondering where his innocent Bobby had gone and who this imposter was who’d replaced her, but even in the muted lighting of the aquarium next to them, he noticed that the dangerous glint in her eye was nothing new. It was the same one that had appeared when she’d landed a punch on him, and it equally matched the look she’d given him when she’d had the audacity to tase him on the way to Regina’s Peak… This had become a game of sorts to her, now that she saw how defenseless she’d made him, and he was dead certain that the concept of making him weak for her near-completely overrode any lingering hesitation she might have had. Before he could even speak a rebuttal, any attempts to call her on her devious ways were stifled as she reached down with her other hand and gripped him firmly, her fingertips still working the slick head of his manhood.

  


His breath caught in his throat and his eyes slid shut for a moment, his head rolling back as he let the pleasure take over his body. “Wh-where the fuck did ya even learn how to do this?”

  


“I told you earlier, I’m not  _ totally  _ a prude. Haven’t you wondered why Quincey’s writing doesn’t make me blush like you do?” There was a touch of pride in her voice that hadn’t been there before, as if an experiment had played out successfully for her, and they both watched for a long moment as she continued to work him slowly. The sight of her hands on him, feminine and delicate even while performing such a provocative task, were nearly his undoing. Behind her, Tora planted his feet against the false stone and hitched his hips sharply, nudging her forward against his torso where he could squeeze her close to his body. 

  


“Fuckin’ nerd,” he muttered breathlessly against her lips even as she laughed for him, the sound shooting straight to his core and making his heart thunder in his chest. “Ya wanna show me what else ya studied?”

  


“Oh my god, I wasn’t  _ studying _ \--” 

  


A high unlike any other to laugh with her, even as the weight of her body pressed uncomfortably against his balls still trapped inside his jeans. He needed her, needed to be inside of her, needed to hear his name on her tongue and feel her body tremble for him. It would be impossible to say so to her without fumbling it as he always did, but he had never been the type to deny himself an opportunity when it was so beautifully presented to him, either. Guiding her body along his own until he could feel the damp cloth of her panties pressed against his throbbing flesh, he ground his teeth together and turned his eyes up toward her face, trying desperately to communicate his needs in the only way he wouldn’t make completely vulgar.

  


“You’re sure it’s alright?” Lingering hesitation in her eyes, but not for him. His eyes flickered over her shoulder and scanned absentmindedly: They were alone, and had been for some time now. 

  


“Yeah, I’m sure, sweetheart.” Well, he mused, mostly sure. He could never be  _ sure _ that no one would pass by, but he  _ could  _ be certain of the fact that any interruptions would bring about a swift and unfortunate death for anyone stupid enough to bother them. 

  


“Wh-what… what happens next, then?”

  


Unable to resist the bait, he grinned roguishly at her, even as his fingers fished around in his jacket for a condom. “What’s the matter, ya little books didn’t have any pictures in ‘em?”

  


It was  _ almost  _ too far, but walking the line was his specialty. He finally found what he’d been looking for and lifted the small packet to his mouth, tearing it open with his teeth without breaking eye contact. To her credit, her expression never shifted, but her thighs certainly did--and the feeling of her tensing around his body was electrifying. His hands made quick work of preparing himself for her before he reached up with a free hand and pulled her into a chaste kiss. “Sure ya want this?”

  


Poppy paused for a moment, grateful that Tora had stopped his actions entirely so that she could think straight. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned it going down, to be sure, but she trusted Tora, and she’d halfway meant it when she’d taunted him earlier. She was tired of always being the inexperienced, shy rabbit of her friends, nearly to the point of being an in-joke now. She wanted to know what the big deal was, she wanted to be able to envision something tangible when she curled up with her saucy books, and she for  _ damned sure  _ wanted to hear more of the noises Tora made for her when she put her hands on his body. Resisting the urge to shrug, she leaned forward so that she could wrap her arms around his neck, smiling over the unexpected nerves. “I probably won’t be very good at it.”

  


“Lousy poker face, too, but that hasn’t stopped you yet.”

  


She barked out a startled laugh, prompting him to chuckle in turn. He wouldn’t budge until she told him to, despite the need to be buried within her nearly causing his legs to cramp beneath them both. The sounds of the club’s dance music thundered on distantly as she played with his hair, her body poised over top of him and tight with tension. “Then...yeah, I think I do want this.” 

  


“Hmm, you think?” He shook his head, pretending to be dissuaded as he drew his palms across her thighs. “Afraid that isn’t good enough for me, Bobby.” Ignoring her confusion, he hooked one of his thumbs into the cotton of her underwear and pulled it aside, using the other to draw lazy circles around the glittering bundle of nerves he revealed there. Her body jolted in response, her breath leaving her throat in surprise. He continued on, pretending he didn’t notice the way she yielded beneath his touch. “I think I’m gonna need you to clarify,” his words were as calm as his fingers were while they danced along her folds, teasing her deliberately by denying her all but the most gentle touches. 

  


“Shit, that feels good,” she muttered to herself, nearly eliciting a laugh from him. High praise, considering her dedication to keeping a squeaky clean mouth… He continued on, tracing the outline of her entrance at a tantalizingly lazy pace, expertly concealing how badly he needed her. He wanted her to want him, desperately so, but not because of the threat of disappointing him. He waited and watched, his pace patient, his face a stoic mixture of amusement and desire, until she finally gripped his shoulders with a shuddering huff.

  


“Tora, I want--” she gasped as he sunk a finger in to the second knuckle and withdrew, then repeated the action a second time, then a third… 

  


“That’s right, sweetheart, tell me what you want.” 

  


“I want--” her teeth bit down on her lip hard as he went deeper, dragging a fingertip along the walls that swallowed his digit with blissful, slick heat. He watched in delighted fascination as the skin of her nose crinkled against the sensations that racked her body, and he suppressed a smirk while her fingernails dug deeper into his muscles. Figures she’d be even cuter when she’s on the brink of screaming for him.

  


“Come on, that’s right.. I can’t give you want until you tell me what it is. Please?”

  


The word felt foreign in his mouth, like a language he’d heard on television once, but it hit its target: Poppy shivered and opened her eyes to stare him down from her awkward perch, frustration and desire blending together in a predatory blaze. She was stunning, backlit by neon and shadows, a sight only he had ever seen and would keep secret until he lay cold in a grave. His heart pounded at the sight of her beauty even as she brought her hands around to grab him by the collar and shake him a moment, her usual manners overridden by the lust that turned her eyes the color of soil after a fresh rain. She was exotic, a rare and beautiful creature not native to his land of concrete and steel, and as she glared at him in outright frustration, he memorized every last feature of her, greedy for her unusual artistry.

  


“I want  _ you _ , Tora,  _ please--”  _ her voice cracked on the word as she echoed his earlier plea. “I can’t--I can’t take it anymore, just-- _ take me. _ ”

  


The words slammed into him unlike any blow he’d ever felt, inspiring an emulsion of ecstasy and desire. His hand withdrew and instead guided himself to her entrance, tracing the slick flesh there while he watched her face carefully for any last sliver of hesitation, any indication that he should stop before he hurt her--but the expression that melted across her face as he slipped inside of her was nothing but relief and pleasure, her body relaxing against his as he filled her completely. They both paused as delicious shivers wracked them for a moment, neither of them prepared for the feeling of utter  _ completeness  _ that overwhelmed them when their bodies joined. He knew he was staring at her even as he began to move, his pace slow and his thrusts deep, enraptured by the way her head fell back while she moved with him. 

  


Their pace quickened as their careful desire for each other built into a frenzied greed. Poppy did her best to match him although her cadence was choppy and awkward, at times interrupted by the way her knees scraped against the rough stone that adorned the cave around them. Tora found himself periodically distracted by wishing he could feel her long hair brush against his thighs as she rode him, distantly wondering how she would cover up the inevitable brush burns on her legs from the friction she couldn’t feel as she worked her body against his. It wasn’t until he saw the flash of a white dress over his date’s shoulder that he froze, holding Poppy firm against his hips and halting both their movements.

  


As expected, she was ready with her typical lashing until he covered her mouth with one hand, eyes steady on the distant pair of party guests that had meandered into his territory. He brought his knees up protectively, pulling her close to him even as his arousal throbbed inside of her, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he held his breath. His eyes flicked over to hers as he removed his hand and pressed a finger to her lips-- _ shh _ \--and smirked. The realization that dawned in her eyes was nearly as exhilarating as the threat of being caught, and he flexed minutely, moving inside of her even as Damien met his eyes from across the cavern. 

  


Knowing Poppy was unaware of just who was behind them, he kept working her from the inside out, privately thrilled by the sounds she forced herself to swallow as he teased her through the tension. It took very little to communicate the situation--and its urgency--to the other man; Tora was, after all, quite astute in training those beneath him despite his feigned lack of interest. Nonverbal communication was a lethally important skill in their line of work, and despite the humor of the situation they currently found themselves sustaining, he was pleased to find that the soft-hearted Sagittarius was as sharp as ever in his interpretation. 

  


Flashing a sly grin and a deep blush, he redirected a sleepy Erdene with an arm slung low around her waist and a few words in her ear, leaving Tora alone once more. He’d deter any others, Tora knew, from strolling through--but it was time, he mused, to start wrapping things up regardless. He’d owe her one either way, and Tora always paid his debts.

  


When he was certain the other two had sufficiently gone, he removed his finger from Poppy’s lips and kissed her, silencing the second round of curses she’d no doubt built up while they’d waited. Knowing he had very little time to salvage the situation before her embarrassment overrode her arousal, Tora shifted awkwardly, grateful for his size for once, and whispered quietly to her while he adjusted his grip: “Hold on tight, angel.” 

  


“Wh-whaa!” 

  


His thighs only protested mildly as he scooped her up and planted her back against the aquarium with a deep thud, allowing her no time to question the transition before he returned to her body with a vengeance. With each thrust he pressed her against the cool glass, his hands cupped firmly beneath her and his body taut with pleasure and concentration. He swallowed her cries with a deep kiss, sloppy and feverish as he hammered himself inside of her, never fully unaware of his surroundings but instead uncaring about any potential intruders.  _ Let ‘em fuckin look.  _ He grit his teeth against the high of pleasure that wracked him, fixated on the way Poppy’s face contorted with ecstasy.

  


Even in the face of his own mounting climax, Tora couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated that he had neither the time nor the atmosphere to truly explore his birthday girl the way he’d fantasized about. After all, he’d spent most of his waking nights planning the whole thing out, from start to finish, at least twice… It seemed fitting for him that when finally presented with the opportunity to satisfy her, he was, in the same turn, robbed of the pleasure. Still, as their breath mixed in heady pants and he found himself losing what little control he’d managed to scrape together for what barely brushed up against his minimum standard, he found himself already plotting to convince her to indulge him in a second bout. His thighs burned with the effort of supporting her and it was impossible not to cry out as he found his release, quaking within her arms and coated in sweat, even as he wondered how quickly they could leave without Quincey pitching a fit.

  


She deserved better than good enough. 

  


He was spent, and now that the endorphins had abated, he found himself longing for a bottle of water and the quiet solitude of his apartment. He made quick work of carefully extracting himself and setting her gently on the floor, his thoughts furiously racing even as they tidied themselves in silence. He found himself mildly at a loss; he’d never engaged anybody that he’d cared to continue seeing afterward, and the lack of direction frustrated him. Fortunately, she threw him an easy out as she grabbed his hand and shook him from his introspection by interlacing their fingers just as she’d done the night he’d embraced her on her balcony. Her eyes were soft and her smile radiant, and he was relieved that her giggles had returned with her attitude.

  


“Well, it wasn’t exactly  _ under  _ you, but...that was really good.”

  


“Sorry, sweetheart. Figured you wouldn’t want to scrape ya back up like your knees.”

  


“My knees-- _ oh my god--” _

  


He chuckled at her even though he knew he’d catch hell for it if she saw. It was always a wonder how transparent she was, how easily she showed her many emotions, even as she panicked and sputtered out potential excuses for the vibrant brush burns that now conspicuously covered both knees. He watched as she uselessly tugged the hem of her dress down, as if to magically conjure another several inches of fabric, before he reached out and placed two calming hands on her shoulders. “Hey. Relax.”

  


“But Tora, there’s no way everyone isn’t going to know exactly what this is from.”

  


He shoved the temptation to tease her about it down deep, choosing instead to offer both of them a way out. “There’s an alley behind this club we can leave through so no one’ll see ya. We can head back to my place and ditch this party early.” 

  


“But what about Quincey? Aren’t you supposed to be babysitting him?”   
  


He snorted. She learned quick. “He’s six glasses deep and my boys’ll take care of him. Besides, he turns into a crying mess when he drinks wine, anyway. Unless you wanna hang around to watch the shit show. Personally, I’m fuckin’ starving.”

  


“You’re  _ always  _ hungry.” Despite her tone, she threw an arm into his elbow and peered up at him, both shoes dangling from her free hand now. 

  


“If I buy ya a milkshake, will ya get off my back about it?”

  


“If I get off your back will you quit being grouchy?” 

  


He groaned to himself, inspiring a triumphant smile from the girl at his side. As he led her from the club, he glanced over his shoulder to see Damien casually holding the hall entryway up, Erdene in his arms. He shook his head, marvelling at how quickly  _ that  _ had developed, and made a small, rushed noise with his mouth to get the kid’s attention. Another exchange without words, another understanding. His guys would keep an eye on the princess tonight while he indulged his own, who was currently dragging him with increased confidence now that her shoes were no longer impeding her progress.

  


He didn’t mind her boldness. Truth be told, he sort of enjoyed it when it didn’t endanger her, a welcomed change from the typical wordless fear he received from strangers. He made a mental note of it, though, on top of her earlier sass, and mentally grinned. He’d get her back, alright. If she wanted to know what it was like to be under him, he’d show her. And if she wanted accuracy, well…

  


He glanced down at her as she chattered away happily, ignorant of her bare feet and tousled hair.

  


He’d just have to be as thorough as possible, lest he disappoint. 

  


_ Happy birthday me,  _ he grinned sardonically, holding the back door open for her as she flounced outside _.  _ Just before he let the door slam shut, he shook his head as he glanced after her, nearly chuckling at the coincidental flash of pink in her hair.  _ Guess I’d better get to unwrapping my present, starting with the bow on top…  _ As he trailed after her, he reached out and plucked the ribbon from her hair, smirking when she failed to notice. 

  


_ Hope ya don’t want to reuse that wrapping paper, sweetheart.  _ He twirled the ribbon between his fingers as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, eyeing the way her dress hugged her curves as she walked with him.  _ Because you’re the best present there is, and I intend to play all night long. _

  


As the sounds of the nightclub faded away into the chorus of the city, Tora pulled his date closer and sighed a heavy breath of release, content with the evening’s events. It was the best birthday he could remember in years, and though he wasn’t arrogant enough to assume there’d be any repeat performances next year or any other thereafter, he took no issue with living in the here-and-now. As it stood, he had an empty belly and a full schedule, and those were two things that suited him just fine.

  


Unable to stop himself, or perhaps unwilling, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Poppy’s head, hiding the eager smile that curved his lips. Always a surprise, and for once, he finally saw why other people seemed to enjoy them so much.

  


  


  


  
[](https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=wise&passive=1209600&continue=https://docs.google.com/document/d/189Wayc19EQhT8npoX7besvyqO2xwuVQWDtk2EzNDzUo/edit?usp%3Ddrivesdk&followup=https://docs.google.com/document/d/189Wayc19EQhT8npoX7besvyqO2xwuVQWDtk2EzNDzUo/edit?usp%3Ddrivesdk<mpl=docs&ec=GAZAGQ)

  


  



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